Should Writing Classes Be a Priority in All Educational Institutions?
by Febiah Magena (Nigeria), the second winner at the Sixth NinjaEssays Writing Contest
One of the most important skills we will learn during our education is writing. And we are not just talking about learning the alphabet and putting together words using letters. We are talking about our ability to express our ideas and thoughts in a way that is clear and eloquent, and appropriate for the occasion. Today, it is unimaginable to apply for a job or get into a good school if you don't know your way around a sentence. So, should writing classes be a priority in all education institutions? Yes, and here is why.
Although it may not appear that writing classes might be all that necessary for all students, especially those involved in one STEM disciplines, because they are mostly focused on math, physics, or coding, even they stand to benefit a lot from improving their writing. For instance, even if they manage to finish their education without the need to develop the writing style, they will come across a problem when they have to apply for a job. They might be able to find their way around a resume, but when the time comes for writing their cover letter, they will start scratching their heads. Today's recruiters are pickier than ever, and because of today's economy, they can be, and they are looking for candidates which possess extra skills, and that includes writing.
And as far as student involves in disciplines such as social sciences, literature, languages, or arts, are concerned, having good writing skills is an absolute must. Even if they are in business schools, they still need to learn how to write well. Imagine having to put together a presentation for your clients, and pitching an idea to the board. Of course, most businessmen will delegate that sort of task to someone else, but you are not going to start your career as a CEO right away, which means you will have to do it yourself. Your writing skills need to be good enough in order to promote your ideas and get your point across in an appropriate manner.
And before you can get a job, you need to finish you education. And writing is even more important while you are at school. During the course of your education, you will be faced with writing various academic papers, such as essays, term papers, or even dissertation, depending on the academic level you are currently at. Such assignments are thoroughly complex and challenging. Not only will you be required to do extensive research, as you will have to back up all of your claims with data and studies from reputable sources, but you will also have to follow certain guidelines and rules in terms of writing style and tone, and for that.
Attending writing classes while in school will help you deal with those academic assignments, as you won't get bogged down writing them for days, which means you will have more time to focus on other subjects, or to relax. Having more time to study means you can get into a lot more detail with every subject, which should help you improve your overall academic performance. Needless to say, writing classes will help you excel and improve your grades in subjects which rely heavily on writing.
Having better grades means you will be able to choose from a much wider selection of good schools and apply wherever you like. Writing your admissions essay is a breeze when you know how to write, and it won't go unnoticed by the admissions board. So, having great writing skills will help you get into a good school and get a good job, but it will only be possible if we make writing classes a priority in all education institutions.
Also, there is a lot you can gain from writing in your personal and social life, as well. A lot of communication goes on online, whether it's through emails or instant messages. Being able to communicate what you have to say effectively is definitely a welcome bonus. As you can see, writing classes will not only improve your academic performance, but they also have a secondary benefit of helping you out outside of work or school.
When we take all of these things into consideration, it is very clear that writing classes are something that is extremely beneficial. However, simply introducing them on top of an existing system will only make it harder for the students to keep up, which is why the system needs to change and become more flexible. Only they will students will be able to develop their writing chops and use them to make their lives better and build the future they have been dreaming about for so long. The sooner we start this process, the better.
